SPEP Quarterly Report Phase 2

SPEP Quarterly report Phase 2

SPEP Quarterly Report

Report for: Qtr 1 (Sept 1-Sept 30) ___; Qtr 2 (Oct 1-Dec 31)_X_; Qtr 3 (Jan 1-Mar 31) ___; Qtr 4 (April 1-June 30) ___ (Check which applies)

Lead Agency Name: _Hancock County Planning Com Person Reporting: __James H. Fisher______

County: ______Hancock______Project Coordinator: __James H. Fisher______

Check which groups you have actively participating (i.e., attending meetings, gathering information, etc) in your environmental strategy implementation work this quarter:

X Institute of Higher Education X School District X Local Police Department X Local Substance Abuse Treatment Agency State Police Department X Youth Organization Representative (i.e. YEP, YAP, etc) X County Sheriff Department Advocacy Organization X State Government (i.e. local DHHS office, DOT, etc.) X Hospital X Social Service Org. (i.e. CAP, United Way etc) X Senior Organizations (i.e. AAA, AARP, etc) Elected Official X Youth or Young Adults X Local retail establishments or other business X Community Members (who are not professionally involved) X Local Government/Municipalities X Others: Healthy Maine Partnerships, Healthy Community Coalitions, Faith Community

1 SPEP Quarterly report Phase 2

PHASE II Detailed Workplan Progress

Intervening Variable 1: Enforcement and the Perception of Enforcement Timeframe Progress Qtr Beginning and Describe progress (Identify if the task has not begun, is in process, is completed Activities/Tasks end dates with completion date)

Continue proactive work with retailers for ID October – In November and December, Healthy Peninsula met with retailers in Surry, checks June Blue Hill, and Sedgwick regarding I.D. checks. Will follow-up in January. Extend sticker-shock campaign county-wide October – No activity May Enhancing police surveillance capacity October - June Hancock County Sheriff’s office continued enhanced surveillance during this period, but were able to pay for their time through a previous grant. SPEP funding will allow them to continue this effort into 2007. Implement newly adopted underage drinking October - June Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities met with local law enforcement (NEH policies police officer) to discuss collaboration to address retailers in relation to sale of alcohol to minors.

Intervening Variable 2: Ease of access to alcohol and the perception of ease of access to alcohol Timeframe Progress Qtr Beginning and Describe progress (Identify if the task has not begun, is in process, is completed Activities/Tasks end dates with completion date)

Encourage retailers to enhance surveillance January – June Several partners have held discussions with local retailers about affordable capacity to prevent theft including enhanced strategies for discouraging youth access to alcohol. capping systems County Sheriff and local police conduct January - June Activity in the second quarter was funded with other resources. SPEP funds compliance checks at local retailers will be used in as programmed. 2 SPEP Quarterly report Phase 2

Facilitate server training for bars and May, June No activity restaurants Encourage adoption of underage drinking September – Bucksport Bay Healthy Communities continue work a manual on procedures by local police units November implementing under age drinking law enforcement protocol. Encourage towns to adopt strict alcohol December – Initial conversations have been held with several communities about distribution policies for public events June restricting access to alcohol at public events. Encourage towns to review alcohol violations December – No activity when considering liquor license applications June and renewals Enhance curriculum in middle and high January - June Healthy Acadia staff and school guidance personnel to work on developing schools, including substance abuse content in a local SPEP phase 2 workplan. Presented SPEP workplan goals to service science, social science and health classes. learning program ( 8th graders) at Pemetic Elementary School Encourage non-punitive alternatives to school October - Healthy Peninsula held a conversation with GSA and a DI-S. In January, suspension November Staff will meet with the GSA administrators and Jane will meet with the DI- S counselor regarding their approaches around alcohol patterns, consequences, etc.

In October and November, Healthy Peninsula also held discussions at BHCS and Brooksville School around addressing substance abuse issues through students groups, such as the Youth Advocacy Program and Civil Rights groups at the schools. This will be explored in more detail in 2007.

Healthy Acadia met with service learning coordinators and Union 98 teachers and presented SPEP Phase 2 workplan. Worked with school nurse at MDIHS and set up a "Lunch and Learn" discussion/road show to high school students in relation to the issues of underage drinking and our phase 2 workplan on 1/19/07. Met with STARRS( drop out prevention 3 SPEP Quarterly report Phase 2

project) team at MDIHS and set dates for CLFC program to be presented to 9th graders and their parents beginning in 3/07.

Intervening Variable 3: Adult attitudes in the community, and the perception of adult attitudes in community Timeframe Progress Qtr Beginning and Describe progress (Identify if the task has not begun, is in process, is completed Activities/Tasks end dates with completion date)

Engage the press to build awareness of December, Local and regional press provided excellent coverage of the award given to NYAP/Healthy Hancock activities to prevent May, June Ellsworth High School Student Health Awareness Group activities. Local underage drinking and regional press coverage of substance abuse issues in Hancock County has been good as well, primarily due to significant arrests for violations. Engage the press to build awareness of local September – This initiative has been somewhat challenging. Schools participating in social norms data about teen substance abuse May social norms research have been reluctant to publicize data from social norms surveys. This glass half full/glass half empty phenomena results when normative data show a significant majority not engaging in substance abuse, yet there is enough of a minority that schools feel the press will focus entirely on the problem.

Healthy Acadia met with The Penobscot Bay Press who will be providing public awareness with HP about topics related to substance abuse.

Union River Healthy Communities placed two advertisements were placed 4 SPEP Quarterly report Phase 2

Intervening Variable 3: Adult attitudes in the community, and the perception of adult attitudes in community Timeframe Progress Qtr Beginning and Describe progress (Identify if the task has not begun, is in process, is completed Activities/Tasks end dates with completion date)

in the Ellsworth American for the New Year’s edition concerning information on underage alcohol abuse and the parent’s role in keeping kids alcohol free. We also provided the editor with information for his drinking and driving essay.

Enhance Healthy Hancock website to include September, www.healthyhancock.org has been updated with baseline information and more information and resource links on December, community presentation slides. underage drinking May Broadcast live radio call-in programs on September, The November broadcast of Common Health focused on “Substance Abuse underage drinking May over the Ages”, which in this case referred to substance abuse among adults and older adults. Call volume was very good. The December Common Health program focused on Poverty and Inequality. This program also touched on issues of substance abuse impacts on poverty. Audio archives are available at www.commonhealth.org. Present underage drinking “road show” to January – June Healthy Peninsula contacted AA of Maine and they have sent documents adult groups, including PTO’s, Churches, and information. The group is interested in exploring the idea of inviting a Civic Organizations HC Sheriff or deputy to give a short presentation to the group.

Healthy Acadia met with mental health counselors in the local community to discuss SPEP Phase 2 workplan and obtain local input. Creating Lasting Family Connections Training November- MDI continued to plan an April program through the 9th grades STARS March program. Safe Homes November- Healthy Peninsula will have a discussion someone from the PATH board in March January.

Narrative - Barriers: Are all towns in your County participating in each strategy? If not, which towns are not, and how do you plan to include them (refer to your town chart from rider A the middle and right columns)? If some are not participating, why not? Other information you would like to share.

We have been fortunate to have significant support from the Maine Sea Coast Ministry in promoting substance abuse prevention and interventions in the outer islands, including the Cranberry Islands, Frenchboro, Isle Au Haut and Swans Island. These islands recognize that substance abuse is particularly challenging given their isolation, particularly during the winter. Our service center communities are engaging in planning and outreach activities. The smaller communities in northern Hancock County, including Amherst, Aurora, Eastbrook, Mariaville, Otis and Waltham remain the most difficult to reach beyond media and law enforcement activities. These towns have very limited retail activity, so programs to restrict access need to focus on adult suppliers. Two access points have emerged over this quarter. School- based interventions for High School age students (grades 8-12) for Ellsworth High School are reaching many of the students. The Town of Mariaville is creating a food pantry, which provides an opportunity to reach lower-income households.

Narrative – Successes: What successes did you experience this quarter (i.e., more towns participating etc)

As noted in the Phase 1 report, Students of Ellsworth High School’s Health Awareness Group were recognized by the American Lung Association of Maine for Youth Advocacy on September 15th, 2006. Press coverage for this award was very good.

Common Health Aired a program devoted to Substance Abuse Through the Ages with very good call volume and feedback. The Audio Archive is available at www.commonhealth.org.

The Healthy Peninsula office was open for the Blue Hill “Last Night” celebration which is a chem.-free night for the community. Health Peninsula provided literature on a variety of topics and had informal discussions with individuals and groups. Discussions were about a variety of health concerns including substance abuse and the prevention of substance abuse. PATH sponsored a community supper and information about prevention and substance abuse during the Blue Hill “Last Night” celebrations.

Changes to Implementation Plans: Were there any changes to your original plans to implement the environmental strategies (i.e., sheriffs office versus police, different evidence based program or strategy used, etc)? Did you deliver the model program or evidence based strategy to youth in the manner in which it was designed? If not, what changes did you make?

There were no major changes in strategies during this quarter. As noted earlier, our use of social norms data has been somewhat curtailed by the schools who are concerned about misuse of the data by the press. We have used County and High School level MYDAUS data where possible to provide information to the public about current levels of substance abuse. Youth alcohol programs have been delivered as proposed.

In order to move the planning process forward, the team is going to hold two day-long county workshops to turn our knowledge into actionable goals and objectives in accordance with recently released plans for future public health coordination.

With whom did you seek and receive technical assistance from and on what topics? (i.e. OSA, PCoE, HZA, etc)

With Whom On What Was it Helpful?

University of Maine – PCoE October 3rd – met with Claire Derossier The purpose of this meeting was primarily to provide information to the research staff. Our project provided information.